Refining vessel



Sept. 23, 1952 c, GUTSCH 2,611,457

REFINING VESSEL Filed Oct. 8', 1948 2 SHEETS SHEET l Mommy:

Patented Sept. 23, 1952 2,611,457 REFINING VESSEL Hans C. Glitsch,Dallas, Tex., assignor toGlitsch Q Engineering Company, Dallas, Tex., a.partner"-:

ship I Application October 8, 1948, Serial No; 53,585 j 2 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in trays for usein refining towers.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved tray for use inrefining towers of various types and which is so constructed that aminimum quality of light-gauge material, such asstainless steel, may beutilized in fabricatin the same without sacrificing its self-supportingcharacteristics.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved refining towertray having a plurality of deck plates or sections with their adjacentmarginal edge'portions frictionally clamped in overlapping relation, theunderlying edge portion having a support made integral therewith forreinforcing its plate and said overlapping edge portions.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved refining towertray, of the character.

described, wherein the underlying plate margin has a depending flangeforming an integral support for the adjacent plate margin, the overlyingplate margin being upset to form an offset flange or shoulder whichrests upon said underlying plate margin for supporting the main portionof its plate in substantially horizontal alinement with the plate havingsaid underlying margin,

A construction designed to carry-out the invention will be herein-afterdescribed together with other features of the invention. v

' The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of thefollowing specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings,wherein an example of the invention is shown and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view of a refining tower tray, constructed inaccordance with the invention, shown mounted in a vessel,

' Figs. 2 and 3 are views, similar to Fig. 1, show-;

ing modified arrangements of the deck plates,

Fig. 4 is a transverse, vertical, sectional view of the tray,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view, partlyin section, showing the mounting ofthe deck plates of the tray,

Fig. 6 is a vertical, sectional view of the mount- 7 Fig. 7 is avertical, sectional view, showing the connection and relation ofadjacent deck plates, and

Fig. 8 is a vertical, sectional view, showing another manner offrictionally fastening adjacent plate margins. A I

In the drawings, the numeral I0 designates the cylindrical wall or shellof a refining tower or vessel which may be of any suitable or desiredtype, construction, diameter and height. For the purposesof'illustration, the tower l0 has-been shown as being of the bubbletow-er type; however, the usualrise'rs and bubble caps have been omitted. The conventional refining towerin'cludesa plurality of trays ordecks Awhich extend transversely across the interior of said tower atspaced intervals substantially throughout the 'h'eight thereof with thequantity andspacing of the trays being varied in accordance withthefsize and particular use of the tower. In view of the fact that thepresent invention relates partlcu' larly to the construction andmounting of the trays, 'only one tray has been shown and has beenillustrated more or less diagrammatically and not in detail. The hereindescribed construction may be successfully used in any refining vesselor tower having superimposed traysor decks and its use is not limited tothe illustrated tower.

As is most clearly shown in Fig. 4, each tiay'A is supported within'thetower by a substantially annular ring I l which is welded or otherwisese cured to theinternaL-cylindrical surface ofthe wall It which projectsinward radially from "said surface. A plurality of deck plates'or floorsec tions l2, I3, '14, I5 and I6, of stainless steel or other suitablelight-gauge and preferably corrosion-resistant material, have their endportions supportedupon thering, and frictionally fastened thereto bysuitable clamps H, such asshown in my United States Patent No.2,341,091, issued" February 8, 1944. The deck plates'extend'transverselyof the tower in parallel relationwith' each versely of the deck platesof each tray for supcured to the free longitudinal margin of the deckplate l6. An efiluent weir 22 is preferably formed along this platemargin by bending the same upportion of the deck plate [2 is providedwith the depending flange 3! and is overlapped by one of the upsetflanges 23 of the plate I3. One longitudinal edge portion of the plate[4 is flanged and underlies the other upset flange of the plate l3,while it opposite edge portion is upset so as to overlie the adjacentedge portion of the plate l5. 7 Both longitudinal edge portions of thelatter are provided with the depending flanges 3| for supporting theadjacent overlying ofiset margins of the plates l4 and I6. Manifestly,this particular construction and arrangement of the deck plates is notessential or necessarily desirable, be-

wardly upon itself. It is noted that the major portion of the plate l2overlies and is secured to One of each of the adjacent longitudinaledgeportions of the deck plates is upset to provide 'aparallel, co-extensiveshoulder or flange 23 which overlies the margin of the adjacent deckplate (Figs.- 5 and'7), A plurality of clamps'24 frictionally fastentogether theadjacent margins or longitudinal edge portions of the platesand includes a bolt 25 extending through an opening 26 in the margin ofthe underlying plate. An angular clamping bar or member 21,- having adepending leg or flange 28, is confined upon the bolt 25v so as tooverlie the upset edge portion or flange 23 of the overlying plate andsaid bolt is engaged withina suitable nut 29 which is welded orotherwise secured in-underlying relation to the opening 26. Due to theprovision of the leg 28, the clamping member 21 extends parallel totheoverlapping plate margin and draws said margin into snug frictionalengagement upon tightening of the bolt 25; Although the plate marginsare frictionally fastened together, the same may undergo limited lateralmovement to compensate for thermal expansion and contraction due totemperature changes. 'If desired, a strip 30, of suitable packingmaterial, may be interposed between the upset flange 23 and theunderlying edge portion of the adjacent deck plate. 'It is noted thatthe major-portions of the sections are substantially fiat and that thespacing of-the sections having the upset shoulders is. greater than'thewidth of the flatportions of said sections whereby said flat;

portions are spaced transversely from the under lying edge portion ofadjacent sections (Fig. 7) and'that the clamp bolts 25 and. openings 25are spaced transversely from saidupset flanges. Thus, expansion jointsare provided between adjacent sections.

For reinforcin and adding rigidity to the deck plates so as to eliminatethe necessity of employing auxiliary supports, a depending leg or flange3!, may be formed by bending the underlying longitudinal edge portion ofeach leg downwardly upon itself at substantially a right angle.Additional rigidity may be obtained by bending the lower'extremity ofthe leg- 3| upwardly upon itself to provide'a horizontal leg or flange32. ,Also, an elongate fiat member or bar 33 may be welded or otherwisesecured to any of the depending flanges 3! so as to add stiffnessthereto when load conditions are such as to require the same. This bar33 is preferably formed of similar material, but is of heavier gauge orgreater thickness. It is noted that the use of the stiffener bar and thehorizontal leg of the depending flange is optional and is subject tovariation in accordance with the length of the deck plate as well as theload imposed thereupon.

As shown inFig. 4, the inner longitudinal edge .ing subject tovariationdue to the location,

strength anddime'nsion of said plate as well as the load carried by thetray and its functions. In some installations, each plate will have onlyone depending flange and one upset flange.

For permitting the end portions of the deck plates to overlie the tankring H, the depending flanges 3! as well as theirvhorizontal legs 32 areof less length than said plates so as to terminate short of said endportions as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. A clamp 34 is provided forfrictionally fastening the connecting adjacent margins of the plates tothe ring and includes an elongate, flat bar or clamping member 35overlying and extending longitudinally of said adjacent margin. Theplate 35 has an opening 35 for receiving the bolt 3'! which extendsthrough alined openings 38 and 39 in the overlapping plate margins. Anangular bar or clamping member 40, having an upstanding, transverse lug4| at its inner end, underlie the ring I l and is secured on the lowerend of the bolt. 3'! by a suitable nut 42 with its lug bearing againstthe underside of the underlying plate margin. With the bars 35 and ofthe clamp 34 alined and fastened by the bolt 31 and its nut 42, it willbe manifest that the adjacent margins may be frictionally clamped to therin as shown in Fig. 6. It is noted that the end portions of the deckplates maybe fastened to the tank ring in any suitable manner and thatthe particular form of the clamp 34 is subject to variation. In manyinstances, the clamps l! are sufflcient to connect the plates to therings and sustain the weight of the tray as well as the load imposedthereupon. Ordinarily, the overlapping margins of the deck plates arefastened to the ring in the manner described only under heavy load orlong span conditions.

If desired, a'inodifled form of clamp or fastening device 43 may be usedin place of the clamp 34. As shown in Fig. 8, the fastening device 43'includes a substantially flat hook or latch element 44 which isinsertable through a slot 45 formed in the underlying deck plate adjectthe overlapping plate margins. The hook 44 is of general C-shape toprovide an overhanging head or hanger portion 46 and an underlying bill47. The upper surface of the latter is adapted to bear against theunderside of the underlying plate margin. A flat, upright wedge elementor looking key 48 is insertable in the head 46 which is bifurcated orsplit-longitudinally for receiving the same and which has connectedupstanding lugs 49 at its upper end for retaining the key. Suitablenotch-es or recesses 50 are cut in the upper and lower surfaces of thekey 48 adjacent its larger end to facilitate removal thereof. Ifdesired, a shoulder 5| may be provided on the intermediate portion ofthe hook 44 for engaging the upper surface of the underlying plate andlimiting downward movement of said hook. Upon insertion of the key 48,its

lower edge portion bears against and overlies the upset flange 23whereby the overlapping plate margins are clamped between said key andthe bill 41 of the hook. A substantially identical clamp or fasteningdevice is shown in my pending application, Serial No. 698,143, filedSeptember 20, 1946.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory thereof andvarious changes in the size, shape and materials, as Well as in thedetails of the illustrated construction may be made. within the Scope ofthe appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A refining vessel tray including, a plurality of elongate decksections of light gauge metal incapable of absorbing thermal stresses,the sections being supported at their ends and disposed with theirlongitudinal edge portions in adjacent substantially parallelrelationship, said sections having major fiat portions, an upsethorizontal flange on one of the longitudinal edge portions of adjacentsections overlying and resting upon the edge portion of the othersection, and integral flange depending from the underlying edge portionfor reinforcing its section and providing a support therefor and for theupset horizontal flange, and frictional fasteners carried by each decksection adjacent its underlying edge portion in transversely spacedrelation to said upset flange and overlying said flange to clamp thesame against upward displacement relative to said underlying edgeportion, the sections having the upset flanges being spaced fromadjacent sections a distance greater than the width of their flatportions whereby said fiat portions are spaced transversely from theunderlying edge portions of adjacent sections, whereby lateral thermalexpansion and contraction of adjacent sections is permitted.

2. A refining vessel tray as set forth in claim 1 including replaceablepacking removab1y] confined between the upset flange of one section andthe underlying edge portion of the adjacent section.

HANS C. GLITSCH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent: r

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,604,875 Bogaty Oct. 26, 19261,900,711 Howard Mar. 7, 1933 2,341,091 Glitsch Feb. 8, 1944 2,448,362Earhart Aug. 31, 1948

